In 1967, The Beatles’ longtime manager, Brian Epstein, died, leaving Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr to handle themselves. According to an associate of the band’s, David Puttnam, Epstein did a great deal to hold them together. After Epstein died, Puttnam said the band’s ability to make good decisions fell apart.
Paul McCartney and the rest of The Beatles made bad business moves after Brian Epstein died
After Epstein’s unexpected death, The Beatles were left to manage themselves. Puttnam, who became a film producer, said the band lacked “stability” when they lost their manager.
“I remember the moment that Brian died,” Puttnam said in the book All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words by Steven Gaines and Peter Brown. “Oh God, they seemed to begin to be entirely self-destructive, entirely. From that moment onwards, I don’t remember hearing from Paul a sensible word,...
Paul McCartney and the rest of The Beatles made bad business moves after Brian Epstein died
After Epstein’s unexpected death, The Beatles were left to manage themselves. Puttnam, who became a film producer, said the band lacked “stability” when they lost their manager.
“I remember the moment that Brian died,” Puttnam said in the book All You Need Is Love: The Beatles in Their Own Words by Steven Gaines and Peter Brown. “Oh God, they seemed to begin to be entirely self-destructive, entirely. From that moment onwards, I don’t remember hearing from Paul a sensible word,...
- 5/24/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In The Beatles’ early days of success, John Lennon set himself apart from his bandmates by publishing two books. He published his first book, In His Own Write, in 1964. His second, A Spaniard in the Works, came out the following year. After these two, Lennon said he felt he needed to take a break from writing books. He did not like the headspace into which writing brought him.
John Lennon shared why he lost interest in writing books
When Lennon compiled In His Own Write, he was able to pull from years worth of writing and artwork. For A Spaniard in the Works, he had to sit down and work on new material.
“The second book was more disciplined because it was started from scratch,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “They said, ‘You’ve got so many months to write a book in.’ I wrote In His Own Write...
John Lennon shared why he lost interest in writing books
When Lennon compiled In His Own Write, he was able to pull from years worth of writing and artwork. For A Spaniard in the Works, he had to sit down and work on new material.
“The second book was more disciplined because it was started from scratch,” Lennon said in The Beatles Anthology. “They said, ‘You’ve got so many months to write a book in.’ I wrote In His Own Write...
- 3/17/2024
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Late musician John Lennon disliked late boxer Muhammad Ali because he made The Beatles “look really stupid”, claims photographer Harry Benson. The band met the boxer on their first trip to the US in February 1964, when they were both on the brink of megastardom, but the meeting reportedly didn’t go well as the legendary fighter — who was still known by his birth name Cassius Clay at the time — insulted the group, leaving them unimpressed.
Photographer Harry Benson had taken the ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ hitmakers to meet Ali — who died in 2016 aged 74 — when he was preparing for his Sonny Liston fight and they were waiting to appear on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
He recalled to the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column: “Ali dwarfed them. Just the repartee of Ali: ‘You think you’re good-looking? You’re not that good-looking – you’re tiny,...
Photographer Harry Benson had taken the ‘I Wanna Hold Your Hand’ hitmakers to meet Ali — who died in 2016 aged 74 — when he was preparing for his Sonny Liston fight and they were waiting to appear on ‘The Ed Sullivan Show’, reports femalefirst.co.uk.
He recalled to the New York Post newspaper’s Page Six column: “Ali dwarfed them. Just the repartee of Ali: ‘You think you’re good-looking? You’re not that good-looking – you’re tiny,...
- 2/13/2024
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Following the death of their manager, The Beatles hired Allen Klein, a move that Mick Jagger warned John Lennon against. Klein had worked with The Rolling Stones as well, and Jagger felt that it would be a terrible idea for The Beatles to hire him. He called Lennon to try to warn him, but Lennon wouldn’t listen. Several years later, though, he realized Jagger had been right.
Mick Jagger told John Lennon not to work with Allen Klein
The Rolling Stones worked with Klein before The Beatles hired him, and their working relationship did not end well. The band alleged that Klein had pocketed their royalty payments, failed to pay their taxes, and stolen their publishing rights. Jagger was especially suspicious of Klein, and the band ultimately hired a law firm to look into the way he’d handled their affairs.
As this was happening, Lennon campaigned for Klein...
Mick Jagger told John Lennon not to work with Allen Klein
The Rolling Stones worked with Klein before The Beatles hired him, and their working relationship did not end well. The band alleged that Klein had pocketed their royalty payments, failed to pay their taxes, and stolen their publishing rights. Jagger was especially suspicious of Klein, and the band ultimately hired a law firm to look into the way he’d handled their affairs.
As this was happening, Lennon campaigned for Klein...
- 11/4/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 2006, a pay-per-view séance aimed to contact John Lennon’s ghost. The producers had previously — and unsuccessfully — attempted to make contact with Princess Diana in 2003. This time, they hoped to strike gold with one of the world’s most famous musicians, much to the irritation of those who knew him. While Yoko Ono declined to comment on the special, her longtime spokesperson, Elliot Mintz, railed against it. His opinion fell in line with that of many Beatles fans.
A documentary about John Lennon’s ghost irritated those close to him
In 2006, Paul Sharratt of Starcast Productions planned to bring cameras to various Lennon-related sites in an attempt to make contact with his ghost.
“People say this is disgusting and I accept that criticism,” Sharratt said, per the LA Times. “But we’re making a serious attempt to do something that many, many millions of people around the world think...
A documentary about John Lennon’s ghost irritated those close to him
In 2006, Paul Sharratt of Starcast Productions planned to bring cameras to various Lennon-related sites in an attempt to make contact with his ghost.
“People say this is disgusting and I accept that criticism,” Sharratt said, per the LA Times. “But we’re making a serious attempt to do something that many, many millions of people around the world think...
- 10/30/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Paul McCartney were close confidantes, but one of the most important people in the former’s life was Stuart Sutcliffe. Lennon and Sutcliffe met as students at art college and quickly grew close. Even years after Sutcliffe’s death, Lennon spoke about him often. Lennon loved Sutcliffe and valued his friendship, but he also viewed him as a rival.
John Lennon saw his close friend Stuart Sutcliffe as a rival
Lennon and Sutcliffe were outwardly different — Lennon was loud and constantly getting in trouble, whereas Sutcliffe was a dedicated student. Still, their personalities were similar, and they got along well. Lennon viewed Sutcliffe as a brother, but he could never bring himself to tell him.
“They had similar outlooks on life, and attitudes,” Sutcliffe’s girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr said in the book Lennon: The Definitive Biography by Ray Coleman. “John really loved Stuart, in the best sense,...
John Lennon saw his close friend Stuart Sutcliffe as a rival
Lennon and Sutcliffe were outwardly different — Lennon was loud and constantly getting in trouble, whereas Sutcliffe was a dedicated student. Still, their personalities were similar, and they got along well. Lennon viewed Sutcliffe as a brother, but he could never bring himself to tell him.
“They had similar outlooks on life, and attitudes,” Sutcliffe’s girlfriend Astrid Kirchherr said in the book Lennon: The Definitive Biography by Ray Coleman. “John really loved Stuart, in the best sense,...
- 10/16/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1966, John Lennon was terrified to travel to the United States, and bandmate George Harrison joked about it. Lennon had recently sparked controversy because he said The Beatles were more popular than Jesus. While the comments went undetected for a while, they began to fuel protests in America just as The Beatles were headed there for a tour.
George Harrison joked about people threatening John Lennon’s life
In a conversation with journalist Maureen Cleave, Lennon offhandedly mentioned that Christianity would “vanish and shrink” and described The Beatles as more popular than Jesus (via Rolling Stone). Several months later, people rediscovered the comments, and Lennon found the backlash swift and unforgiving.
“The repercussions were big, especially in the Bible Belt,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “In the South, they were having a field day.”
A Beatles protest | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
While The Beatles attempted to brush off their...
George Harrison joked about people threatening John Lennon’s life
In a conversation with journalist Maureen Cleave, Lennon offhandedly mentioned that Christianity would “vanish and shrink” and described The Beatles as more popular than Jesus (via Rolling Stone). Several months later, people rediscovered the comments, and Lennon found the backlash swift and unforgiving.
“The repercussions were big, especially in the Bible Belt,” Harrison said in The Beatles Anthology. “In the South, they were having a field day.”
A Beatles protest | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty
While The Beatles attempted to brush off their...
- 8/10/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon frequently used LSD, but one trip was so dangerous that Paul McCartney and George Harrison rushed to help him. Lennon accidentally took the drug during a recording session. He stepped onto the roof for fresh air and remained up there alone. When McCartney and Harrison realized this, they were terrified, knowing Lennon could have easily stepped off the roof.
Paul McCartney and George Harrison realized John Lennon was in a dangerous situation
In a recording session for the song “Getting Better,” Lennon took what he thought was an amphetamine to keep him energized. Soon, though, he realized he’d actually taken LSD. He told Martin he felt sick, and the producer, completely unaware that Lennon had taken anything, took him to the roof for fresh air.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“If I’d known it was LSD, the roof would have been the...
Paul McCartney and George Harrison realized John Lennon was in a dangerous situation
In a recording session for the song “Getting Better,” Lennon took what he thought was an amphetamine to keep him energized. Soon, though, he realized he’d actually taken LSD. He told Martin he felt sick, and the producer, completely unaware that Lennon had taken anything, took him to the roof for fresh air.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“If I’d known it was LSD, the roof would have been the...
- 6/27/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and Keith Richards met in the early 1960s, and they grew to be good friends. They spent a great deal of time together, and Richards typically liked to fuel their interactions with drugs and alcohol. Lennon did as well, but they had a different effect on him than on Richards. The Rolling Stones guitarist explained that Lennon usually ended a night together incredibly ill.
John Lennon and Keith Richards | Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns Keith Richards said John Lennon typically got sick when they were together
Richards said that when he used drugs with Lennon, the former Beatle tried to keep up with him. Richards explained that this was a difficult task for anyone.
“I got to know John Lennon longer and better further down the line,” Richards wrote in his book Life. “We’d hang for quite a while; he and Yoko [Ono] would pop by. But the...
John Lennon and Keith Richards | Mark and Colleen Hayward/Redferns Keith Richards said John Lennon typically got sick when they were together
Richards said that when he used drugs with Lennon, the former Beatle tried to keep up with him. Richards explained that this was a difficult task for anyone.
“I got to know John Lennon longer and better further down the line,” Richards wrote in his book Life. “We’d hang for quite a while; he and Yoko [Ono] would pop by. But the...
- 6/1/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Critics and fans have repeatedly compared Oasis to The Beatles. Oasis’ Liam Gallagher said one of his band’s songs features the voice of John Lennon. Subsequently, Gallagher said the song isn’t a tribute to John because tributes to John are terrible.
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer 1 Oasis song includes a John Lennon quote and a riff similar to ‘A Day in the Life’
Oasis’ songs often reference The Beatles. Oasis songs name Fab Four tracks like “The Long and Winding Road,” “The Fool on the Hill,” and “I Feel Fine.” Perhaps the most overt Beatles reference in Oasis’ discography is in the song “I’m Outta Time.”
The tune features audio of John saying “As Churchill said, ‘It’s every Englishman’s inalienable right to live where the hell he likes.’ What’s it going to do, vanish? Is it not going to be there when I get back?...
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer 1 Oasis song includes a John Lennon quote and a riff similar to ‘A Day in the Life’
Oasis’ songs often reference The Beatles. Oasis songs name Fab Four tracks like “The Long and Winding Road,” “The Fool on the Hill,” and “I Feel Fine.” Perhaps the most overt Beatles reference in Oasis’ discography is in the song “I’m Outta Time.”
The tune features audio of John saying “As Churchill said, ‘It’s every Englishman’s inalienable right to live where the hell he likes.’ What’s it going to do, vanish? Is it not going to be there when I get back?...
- 5/18/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
Oasis’ Liam Gallagher said one of John Lennon’s songs used to get played all the time on TV. He didn’t really get interested in The Beatles and their contemporaries until he was a teenager. Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger” has a riff that’s very similar to the John song in question. John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer
Oasis’ Liam Gallagher named the John Lennon song that got him interested in the singer. He revealed he didn’t initially understand who John was. Subsequently, an album by another English band made him listen to The Beatles.
Oasis’ Liam Gallagher loved a John Lennon song that played on TV all the time
Gallagher has repeatedly been compared to John. The two rock stars have been known to wear dark glasses and make witty remarks in interviews. Beyond that, many Oasis songs contain direct references to the...
Oasis’ Liam Gallagher said one of John Lennon’s songs used to get played all the time on TV. He didn’t really get interested in The Beatles and their contemporaries until he was a teenager. Oasis’ “Don’t Look Back in Anger” has a riff that’s very similar to the John song in question. John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer
Oasis’ Liam Gallagher named the John Lennon song that got him interested in the singer. He revealed he didn’t initially understand who John was. Subsequently, an album by another English band made him listen to The Beatles.
Oasis’ Liam Gallagher loved a John Lennon song that played on TV all the time
Gallagher has repeatedly been compared to John. The two rock stars have been known to wear dark glasses and make witty remarks in interviews. Beyond that, many Oasis songs contain direct references to the...
- 5/17/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon and his dad, Alfred Lennon, had a rocky relationship. They reconnected after years without seeing or speaking to each other, but their relationship never quite recovered from Alfred’s time away from his son. During their last-ever meeting, Lennon flew into a rage and directed it at his father. When Alfred left, he wrote a letter to his lawyer, genuinely worried that Lennon would do something to harm him.
Alfred Lennon and John Lennon | J. R. Watkins/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images John Lennon and his dad got into an argument the last time they saw each other
Alfred Lennon remarried and had another child. The young family visited Lennon on his 30th birthday, but they didn’t find him in good spirits. He ranted about the people who negatively affected his life, Alfred included. Alfred said his wife, Pauline,...
Alfred Lennon and John Lennon | J. R. Watkins/Daily Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images; Helmut Reiss/United Archives via Getty Images John Lennon and his dad got into an argument the last time they saw each other
Alfred Lennon remarried and had another child. The young family visited Lennon on his 30th birthday, but they didn’t find him in good spirits. He ranted about the people who negatively affected his life, Alfred included. Alfred said his wife, Pauline,...
- 5/14/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon said a track from The Beatles’ The White Album has random lyrics that he never wrote down. He said George Harrison and Yoko Ono helped him put the track together in the studio. He compared creating the song to throwing a pair of dice or using the I Ching to predict the future. John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer
John Lennon said a song from The Beatles’ The White Album has “random talking” for lyrics. In addition, it includes snippets of music from Ludwig van Beethoven. Notably, the random qualities of the song are an asset.
A track from The Beatles’ ‘The White Album’ isn’t a song in the traditional sense
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon includes an interview from 1968. In it, John discussed “Revolution 9” from The White Album. “Revolution 9 “isn’t a song in the traditional sense — it’s more of a collage of different sounds.
John Lennon said a track from The Beatles’ The White Album has random lyrics that he never wrote down. He said George Harrison and Yoko Ono helped him put the track together in the studio. He compared creating the song to throwing a pair of dice or using the I Ching to predict the future. John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer
John Lennon said a song from The Beatles’ The White Album has “random talking” for lyrics. In addition, it includes snippets of music from Ludwig van Beethoven. Notably, the random qualities of the song are an asset.
A track from The Beatles’ ‘The White Album’ isn’t a song in the traditional sense
The book Lennon on Lennon: Conversations with John Lennon includes an interview from 1968. In it, John discussed “Revolution 9” from The White Album. “Revolution 9 “isn’t a song in the traditional sense — it’s more of a collage of different sounds.
- 5/13/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
One of John Lennon‘s albums was inspired by him screaming as a form of therapy. Subsequently, Yoko Ono discussed why this form of therapy appealed to John. Notably, pop star Christina Aguilera covered the most famous tune on the album.
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer A book called ‘The Primal Scream’ inspired a John Lennon album
In a 1980 interview from the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John discussed the origin of his album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. He received a copy of Arthur Janov’s book The Primal Scream in the mail. The book advocates screaming as a form of therapy. John decided to try it because he figured screaming was better than taking LSD to solve one’s problems. The treatment helped him create the album.
Yoko chimed in, saying primal scream therapy appealed to men because...
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer A book called ‘The Primal Scream’ inspired a John Lennon album
In a 1980 interview from the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John discussed the origin of his album John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band. He received a copy of Arthur Janov’s book The Primal Scream in the mail. The book advocates screaming as a form of therapy. John decided to try it because he figured screaming was better than taking LSD to solve one’s problems. The treatment helped him create the album.
Yoko chimed in, saying primal scream therapy appealed to men because...
- 5/10/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon was one of the most talented songwriters in classic rock history. He wrote dozens of hit songs for The Beatles and proved he could write meaningful solo tracks after The Beatles broke up. Lennon often portrayed himself as a tortured artist who expressed his inner demons in his work, which could explain why he compared songwriting to “being possessed.”
John Lennon preferred to write songs about his personal experiences John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
As John Lennon’s career progressed, his songwriting became more introspective and revealing. One reason was that he was heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, who trademarked the more vulnerable and personal style of music. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon looked back on his time with The Beatles, and he said there were only two “true songs” he wrote because he wasn’t writing from a third-person perspective.
“I...
John Lennon preferred to write songs about his personal experiences John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
As John Lennon’s career progressed, his songwriting became more introspective and revealing. One reason was that he was heavily influenced by Bob Dylan, who trademarked the more vulnerable and personal style of music. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Lennon looked back on his time with The Beatles, and he said there were only two “true songs” he wrote because he wasn’t writing from a third-person perspective.
“I...
- 5/7/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
As a child, John Lennon was willing to put himself in dangerous situations. He got into fights he had no chance of winning and stole. He admitted that he used to go “thieving” with a friend, something he didn’t necessarily enjoy. Lennon said he felt terrified the entire time, and for a good reason. Once, someone fired a gun at him.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images John Lennon said that he found himself in a dangerous position as a child
During Lennon’s adolescence, he worked hard to establish himself as popular and powerful.
“I was the kingpin of my age group,” he said, per The Beatles Anthology. “I learnt lots of dirty jokes very young; there was a girl who lived near who told me.”
In order to maintain his position as the kingpin, he had to prove that he was fearless and rebellious.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images John Lennon said that he found himself in a dangerous position as a child
During Lennon’s adolescence, he worked hard to establish himself as popular and powerful.
“I was the kingpin of my age group,” he said, per The Beatles Anthology. “I learnt lots of dirty jokes very young; there was a girl who lived near who told me.”
In order to maintain his position as the kingpin, he had to prove that he was fearless and rebellious.
- 5/6/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon considered Bob Dylan one of his musical influences. Lennon adapted a more introspective approach to songwriting and often cited Dylan as someone he wanted to emulate. Unfortunately, that admiration soured over time, and the two did exchange a few insults. Here are three times Dylan and Lennon threw insults at each other.
John Lennon called one of Bob Dylan’s albums ‘pathetic’ John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images
Bob Dylan was raised in a Jewish household but never expressed many religious themes in his music. In 1979, he became a born-again Christian, baffling many of his fans who were unaware of his religious views. These themes were first expressed in 1979’s Slow Train Coming.
Around that time, John Lennon recorded a long monologue discussing the state of the industry and Bob Dylan’s latest work. He called his latest music “pathetic” and dissed Dylan’s instrumentals and lyrics.
John Lennon called one of Bob Dylan’s albums ‘pathetic’ John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images
Bob Dylan was raised in a Jewish household but never expressed many religious themes in his music. In 1979, he became a born-again Christian, baffling many of his fans who were unaware of his religious views. These themes were first expressed in 1979’s Slow Train Coming.
Around that time, John Lennon recorded a long monologue discussing the state of the industry and Bob Dylan’s latest work. He called his latest music “pathetic” and dissed Dylan’s instrumentals and lyrics.
- 4/29/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When John Lennon was a child, he went to live with his aunt and uncle after his parents separated. While his mother remained in his life, particularly as he grew older, he went nearly two decades without seeing his father. When he still lived with his parents, though, Lennon said he did not feel they wanted a child. He described why he saw this as both a blessing and a curse.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images John Lennon said he didn’t feel wanted as a child
When Lennon was a child, his parents separated, and he stopped seeing his father. He saw his mother now and again, though with enough infrequency that he didn’t realize how close she lived to him. He said that this led to him feeling unwanted.
“The worst pain is that of not being wanted, of realizing your parents do not need...
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images John Lennon said he didn’t feel wanted as a child
When Lennon was a child, his parents separated, and he stopped seeing his father. He saw his mother now and again, though with enough infrequency that he didn’t realize how close she lived to him. He said that this led to him feeling unwanted.
“The worst pain is that of not being wanted, of realizing your parents do not need...
- 4/27/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1971, John Lennon released the song “Jealous Guy” about insecurity and possessiveness in relationships. The song is personal and reveals a side of Lennon that those who knew him likely recognized. Lennon had a jealous streak, proven by these four instances.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images He didn’t like that a classmate was performing better than him
When Lennon was in school, one of his best friends was Pete Shotton. Shotton showed early talent in math and, according to biographer Hunter Davies, Lennon was “jealous of Pete’s interest in math, which he could never do, and always tried to spoil it for Pete.” He constantly tried to throw Shotton off by distracting him.
“He always tried to ruin my concentration by putting drawings in front of me,” Shotton said, per Davies’ book The Beatles: The Authorized Biography. “Some were obscene, but they were mostly...
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images He didn’t like that a classmate was performing better than him
When Lennon was in school, one of his best friends was Pete Shotton. Shotton showed early talent in math and, according to biographer Hunter Davies, Lennon was “jealous of Pete’s interest in math, which he could never do, and always tried to spoil it for Pete.” He constantly tried to throw Shotton off by distracting him.
“He always tried to ruin my concentration by putting drawings in front of me,” Shotton said, per Davies’ book The Beatles: The Authorized Biography. “Some were obscene, but they were mostly...
- 3/23/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
There are many Beatles songs that John Lennon hated. Out of all The Beatles, John was the most critical of his and the band’s work. He didn’t give his praise lightly. Here are 10 songs John disliked. Some may surprise fans.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Getty Images 10. ‘Run for Your Life’
It’s surprising if anyone likes “Run for Your Life.” It’s one of the most disturbing Beatles songs and one John hated. All you need to hear is the first verse to get that impression: “Well, I’d rather see you dead, little girl/ Than to be with another man/ You better keep your head, little girl/ Or I won’t know where I am.” According to Ultimate Classic Rock, John often said it was his least favorite Beatles song. He also called it a “throwaway.”
9. ‘Paperback Writer’
“Paperback Writer” is one of the best Beatles songs from the mid-1960s.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Getty Images 10. ‘Run for Your Life’
It’s surprising if anyone likes “Run for Your Life.” It’s one of the most disturbing Beatles songs and one John hated. All you need to hear is the first verse to get that impression: “Well, I’d rather see you dead, little girl/ Than to be with another man/ You better keep your head, little girl/ Or I won’t know where I am.” According to Ultimate Classic Rock, John often said it was his least favorite Beatles song. He also called it a “throwaway.”
9. ‘Paperback Writer’
“Paperback Writer” is one of the best Beatles songs from the mid-1960s.
- 3/20/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon‘s “Imagine” is probably the most famous and widely-covered song written by a former Beatle. Some of those covers are awful. For example, the co-writer of “Imagine” took her own crack at it and it wasn’t good.
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer 4. Madonna’s cover of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’
Madonna got really into Kabbalah, a Jewish mystical practice, in the 1990s. With that in mind, it’s odd to think she covered a song that hypothesizes the world would be a better place without religion. That’s not the real problem with her cover, though. It’s the weird electronic flourishes that do nothing for the track and the subpar vocals. This sounds like a track cut from American Life, her half-baked attempt at a political album. Madonna is the Queen of Pop, but she should have left the politics to John.
3. Avril Lavigne’s charity...
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer 4. Madonna’s cover of John Lennon’s ‘Imagine’
Madonna got really into Kabbalah, a Jewish mystical practice, in the 1990s. With that in mind, it’s odd to think she covered a song that hypothesizes the world would be a better place without religion. That’s not the real problem with her cover, though. It’s the weird electronic flourishes that do nothing for the track and the subpar vocals. This sounds like a track cut from American Life, her half-baked attempt at a political album. Madonna is the Queen of Pop, but she should have left the politics to John.
3. Avril Lavigne’s charity...
- 3/19/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When biographer Hunter Davies spoke to the parents of The Beatles, he noticed that John Lennon’s aunt, who raised him, was the only one to criticize her child. Lennon and his aunt, Mimi Smith, had a complicated relationship throughout his youth, and that didn’t change when he got older. She consistently criticized him for four reasons.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images 1. John Lennon’s aunt once threw a fit when he spent money on a coat
Smith had a problem with Lennon’s spending habits. He once bought his future wife, Cynthia, a new coat, and when Smith saw it, she flew into a rage.
“When she saw the coat and heard that John had bought it for me she hit the roof,” Cynthia wrote in her book John. “She screamed at John that he’d spent his money on a ‘gangster’s moll’ (even with...
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images 1. John Lennon’s aunt once threw a fit when he spent money on a coat
Smith had a problem with Lennon’s spending habits. He once bought his future wife, Cynthia, a new coat, and when Smith saw it, she flew into a rage.
“When she saw the coat and heard that John had bought it for me she hit the roof,” Cynthia wrote in her book John. “She screamed at John that he’d spent his money on a ‘gangster’s moll’ (even with...
- 3/12/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“I Am the Walrus” is one of The Beatles’ most bizarre and surreal tracks. The song was written by John Lennon, who, according to Paul McCartney, also provided many of the weirder moments that improved the track.
John Lennon wrote “I Am the Walrus” on two acid trips John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images
“I Am the Walrus” debuted in 1967 as a part of The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour movie and album. The song features some of the band’s more surreal and nonsensical lyrics. The track was inspired by the work of Lewis Carroll, specifically The Walrus and the Carpenter story from Through the Looking Glass. In the 1980 Playboy interview, John Lennon said the inspiration for “I Am the walrus” came to him during two acid trips.
“The first line was written on one acid trip one weekend. The second line was written on the next acid trip the next weekend,...
John Lennon wrote “I Am the Walrus” on two acid trips John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images
“I Am the Walrus” debuted in 1967 as a part of The Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour movie and album. The song features some of the band’s more surreal and nonsensical lyrics. The track was inspired by the work of Lewis Carroll, specifically The Walrus and the Carpenter story from Through the Looking Glass. In the 1980 Playboy interview, John Lennon said the inspiration for “I Am the walrus” came to him during two acid trips.
“The first line was written on one acid trip one weekend. The second line was written on the next acid trip the next weekend,...
- 3/6/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon ‘Thanked God’ He Didn’t Write This ‘Quirky’ Beatles Song and it’s Easy to Understand Why
There are many songs by The Beatles that John Lennon didn’t like. Some of these he wrote himself, while others are works by Paul McCartney or George Harrison. Lennon said there is one song he “thanked god” he didn’t write, and it is one of the band’s stranger songs.
‘Rocky Raccoon’ is one of the Beatles’ weirder songs John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“Rocky Raccoon” is featured on 1968’s The White Album and is a pure Paul McCartney track. The song centers around a character named Rocky Raccoon, whose girlfriend leaves him for another man. Rocky challenges the man to a duel but is shot first. He then discovers Gideon’s bible and takes it as a sign from God.
This song isn’t terrible, but it is one of the band’s weirder tracks. McCartney’s vocal performance is good, and the guitar playing is fine,...
‘Rocky Raccoon’ is one of the Beatles’ weirder songs John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
“Rocky Raccoon” is featured on 1968’s The White Album and is a pure Paul McCartney track. The song centers around a character named Rocky Raccoon, whose girlfriend leaves him for another man. Rocky challenges the man to a duel but is shot first. He then discovers Gideon’s bible and takes it as a sign from God.
This song isn’t terrible, but it is one of the band’s weirder tracks. McCartney’s vocal performance is good, and the guitar playing is fine,...
- 2/27/2023
- by Ross Tanenbaum
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Some classic rock songs are just terribly racist. The fact that some of these classic rock songs got any airplay is upsetting. For example, John Lennon released a song that was supposed to be feminist but failed miserably.
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer 5. John Lennon’s ‘Woman is the N-Word of the World’
According to a 1980 interview from the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John called “Woman Is the N-Word of the World” the first feminist song ever. That’s just false. He praises “Woman Is the N-Word of the World” for coming out before Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” a song that aged far better.
In “Woman Is the N-Word of the World,” he’s definitely trying to speak about the oppression of women, but he repeatedly uses a slur to make his point. He never should have gone there.
John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer 5. John Lennon’s ‘Woman is the N-Word of the World’
According to a 1980 interview from the book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, John called “Woman Is the N-Word of the World” the first feminist song ever. That’s just false. He praises “Woman Is the N-Word of the World” for coming out before Helen Reddy’s “I Am Woman,” a song that aged far better.
In “Woman Is the N-Word of the World,” he’s definitely trying to speak about the oppression of women, but he repeatedly uses a slur to make his point. He never should have gone there.
- 2/23/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The Beatles didn’t stray away from controversial topics — even if that resulted in a death threat from a Ku Klux Klan member. Here’s what John Lennon said about people disliking the Beatles’ music and their message.
How John Lennon added activism to the Beatles’ records (even if some listeners didn’t like it) John Lennon of the Beatles plays the guitar in a hotel room in Paris | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Some of the Beatles’ biggest hits were loaded with activism — from messages of peace (with “All You Need is Love”) to criticism of the United Kingdom. The satirical song, “Get Back,” detailed the UK’s attitude toward immigrants.
There were also songs like “Revolution” and “Taxman,” which received praise, and sometimes backlash, from listeners. In 1966, Lennon responded to those who severely opposed this rock band.
John Lennon commented on people ‘not liking’ the Beatles...
How John Lennon added activism to the Beatles’ records (even if some listeners didn’t like it) John Lennon of the Beatles plays the guitar in a hotel room in Paris | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Some of the Beatles’ biggest hits were loaded with activism — from messages of peace (with “All You Need is Love”) to criticism of the United Kingdom. The satirical song, “Get Back,” detailed the UK’s attitude toward immigrants.
There were also songs like “Revolution” and “Taxman,” which received praise, and sometimes backlash, from listeners. In 1966, Lennon responded to those who severely opposed this rock band.
John Lennon commented on people ‘not liking’ the Beatles...
- 2/20/2023
- by Julia Dzurillay
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” features a saxophone solo by another artist.The artist to leave the silly part of himself behind in the studio when he worked on the track.John said “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” was more of a novelty song than “Imagine.” John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer
John Lennon‘s “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” features a saxophone solo played by another musician. The saxophone player discussed what he thought of John as an artist. In addition, he explained what he thought of “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.”
John Lennon’s ‘Whatever Gets You Thru the Night’ features a Rolling Stones collaborator
Bobby Keys was a musician who was a member of the Plastic Ono Band who also played on many records by The Rolling Stones. During a 2012 interview with Relix, he said one of the highlights...
John Lennon’s “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” features a saxophone solo by another artist.The artist to leave the silly part of himself behind in the studio when he worked on the track.John said “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” was more of a novelty song than “Imagine.” John Lennon | Harry Benson / Stringer
John Lennon‘s “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night” features a saxophone solo played by another musician. The saxophone player discussed what he thought of John as an artist. In addition, he explained what he thought of “Whatever Gets You Thru the Night.”
John Lennon’s ‘Whatever Gets You Thru the Night’ features a Rolling Stones collaborator
Bobby Keys was a musician who was a member of the Plastic Ono Band who also played on many records by The Rolling Stones. During a 2012 interview with Relix, he said one of the highlights...
- 1/30/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
John Lennon, like the rest of The Beatles, grew up in Liverpool, England. He got his start playing shows throughout the city, and he lived there with his family until The Beatles found widespread success. The band was incredibly successful, and whenever The Beatles returned, they were treated as hometown heroes. Lennon found this embarrassing and did not like going home.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images John Lennon grew up in Liverpool
Lennon was born in Liverpool in 1940. While he initially lived with his mother, Julia, and his father, Alfred, his parents separated when he was a toddler. His aunt, Mimi Smith, took custody of Lennon after reporting Julia to Social Services. According to Paul McCartney, Lennon’s life with Smith was posh.
John's Aunt Mimi was born #onthisday 24 April 1906. Here's John with Mimi, Uncle George and Sally the dog in the back garden of their Liverpool home...
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Getty Images John Lennon grew up in Liverpool
Lennon was born in Liverpool in 1940. While he initially lived with his mother, Julia, and his father, Alfred, his parents separated when he was a toddler. His aunt, Mimi Smith, took custody of Lennon after reporting Julia to Social Services. According to Paul McCartney, Lennon’s life with Smith was posh.
John's Aunt Mimi was born #onthisday 24 April 1906. Here's John with Mimi, Uncle George and Sally the dog in the back garden of their Liverpool home...
- 1/29/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
In 1974, actor Pam Grier was with John Lennon for one of the most notorious nights of his “lost weekend” period. While attending a comedy show in Los Angeles, Lennon began heckling the Smothers Brothers, leading to him attempting to punch their manager and getting thrown out of the club. Lennon was not at his best, but Grier was surprised by the vulnerability he displayed. She said it was clear that he missed Yoko Ono.
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Pam Grier went out with John Lennon in the 1970s
Grier was at Sammy Davis Jr.’s house when Jackie Haley Jr. and Liza Minnelli picked her up to see the Smothers Brothers at the Troubadour. She didn’t initially want to go but eventually agreed.
“Jack wanted me to go see the Smothers Brothers at the Troubadour with [Harry] Nilsson Schmilson and John [Lennon],” she told Rolling Stone in 2022. “I’m asking,...
John Lennon | Harry Benson/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images Pam Grier went out with John Lennon in the 1970s
Grier was at Sammy Davis Jr.’s house when Jackie Haley Jr. and Liza Minnelli picked her up to see the Smothers Brothers at the Troubadour. She didn’t initially want to go but eventually agreed.
“Jack wanted me to go see the Smothers Brothers at the Troubadour with [Harry] Nilsson Schmilson and John [Lennon],” she told Rolling Stone in 2022. “I’m asking,...
- 1/28/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“La La Land” (Lionsgate) more than met its high-end expectations. It scored $855,000 in five theaters with an astounding per theater average of $171,000: beat only by “Grand Budapest Hotel,” opening against far less competition early in the year.
The critically hailed Hollywood musical already won Best Film from the New York Film Critics, and is primed to shine during the ongoing awards season. But part of any major Oscar contender’s profile is its popular reception. And it scored a huge initial audience response this weekend in New York and Los Angeles. Likely to factor in both Sunday’s Critics’ Choice Awards and Monday’s Golden Globes nominations Monday, “La La Land”‘s Oscar momentum just got stronger.
This early December weekend is a dead zone except for just this type of top-of-the-line awards entry. “The Big Short” opened this weekend in 2015 in eight multi-city initial dates and grossed $705,000. “La...
The critically hailed Hollywood musical already won Best Film from the New York Film Critics, and is primed to shine during the ongoing awards season. But part of any major Oscar contender’s profile is its popular reception. And it scored a huge initial audience response this weekend in New York and Los Angeles. Likely to factor in both Sunday’s Critics’ Choice Awards and Monday’s Golden Globes nominations Monday, “La La Land”‘s Oscar momentum just got stronger.
This early December weekend is a dead zone except for just this type of top-of-the-line awards entry. “The Big Short” opened this weekend in 2015 in eight multi-city initial dates and grossed $705,000. “La...
- 12/11/2016
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
In an age where we have gone so far as to add the word “selfies” to the Oxford Dictionary, Harry Benson: Shoot First is a vital reminder of what it’s really like to take a picture. Yes, it’s time to get on that soapbox. Put down your iPhone for a second, because directors Justin Bare and Matthew Miele have crafted a film that explores photography at its pinnacle of creativity — all via the life and work of a quirky Scottish man named Harry Benson.
Most of the world knows him for his iconic images of The Beatles (you know, those black and white shots of John, Paul, George, and Ringo going at it with pillows in the George V Hotel, seen below), but Benson’s career spans much further and wider than that. Harry Benson: Shoot First takes you through it all. From the cocaine left behind in...
Most of the world knows him for his iconic images of The Beatles (you know, those black and white shots of John, Paul, George, and Ringo going at it with pillows in the George V Hotel, seen below), but Benson’s career spans much further and wider than that. Harry Benson: Shoot First takes you through it all. From the cocaine left behind in...
- 12/8/2016
- by The Film Stage
- The Film Stage
See me! Feel me! Touch me! That’s a lyric from the Who's Tommy, but it also describes the sensations that swim in your head when you look at photos by Harry Benson. There's music in them, as well as spontaneity and heat; they're alive in ways still camera images rarely are. That vitality is an essential part of the great Scot himself, a livewire from Glasgow who just turned 87 without losing the sharp burr on his tongue, the green pocket squares that dot his jackets or the witty glint...
- 12/7/2016
- Rollingstone.com
At first, photographer Harry Benson said no to taking pictures of The Beatles.
It was 1964 and the Scottish-born photojournalist wanted to travel to Uganda for a story about its newfound independence, not take pictures of some British rock-and-roll band on its way up, which his editor had asked him to cover.
“I knew who The Beatles were, but they hadn’t had their big breakthrough yet,” Benson, now 87, tells People.
His trip to Africa was not to be. At 11 p.m., the night before Benson was set to fly there, his editor at The Daily Express in London called him and told him that indeed,...
It was 1964 and the Scottish-born photojournalist wanted to travel to Uganda for a story about its newfound independence, not take pictures of some British rock-and-roll band on its way up, which his editor had asked him to cover.
“I knew who The Beatles were, but they hadn’t had their big breakthrough yet,” Benson, now 87, tells People.
His trip to Africa was not to be. At 11 p.m., the night before Benson was set to fly there, his editor at The Daily Express in London called him and told him that indeed,...
- 12/1/2016
- by kcbakerpeoplemag
- PEOPLE.com
Photographer Harry Benson may be best known for his photos of The Beatles on their first trip to America in 1964, but there are very few notable people he hasn’t photographed. From world leaders to celebrities to The Royal Family, at 86 years old Benson is renowned as one of the most prolific photographers in the world. And now, Magnolia Pictures and directors Justin Bare and Matthew Miele give an inside look at Benson’s career in “Harry Benson: Shoot First,” a new documentary which is on its way to the big screen.
Continue reading Trailer For ‘Harry Benson: Shoot First’ Looks At The Life Of The Man Who Photographed The Beatles, Muhammad Ali, More at The Playlist.
Continue reading Trailer For ‘Harry Benson: Shoot First’ Looks At The Life Of The Man Who Photographed The Beatles, Muhammad Ali, More at The Playlist.
- 10/17/2016
- by Stephanie Ashe
- The Playlist
"If I don't take a photograph, I've made a terrible mistake." Magnolia Pictures has debuted a trailer for a documentary titled Harry Benson: Shoot First, about the life and work of famed photographer Harry Benson. He gained notoriety in the 60s when he was assigned to shoot The Beatles during their inaugural trip to the United States in 1964. He has since gone on to photograph many famous musicians, politicians, and celebrities, and is still working today at age 86. There have been some superb docs about photographers recently (The Salt of the Earth, Mapplethorpe: Look at the Pictures, Smash His Camera, Finding Vivian Maier are the best of the bunch) and this looks like yet another fantastic profile of a talented artist. Enjoy. Here's a trailer (+ poster) for Justin Bare & Matthew Miele's doc Harry Benson: Shoot First, on Apple: Harry Benson: Shoot First charts the illustrious career of the renowned...
- 10/14/2016
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Maybe you're not familiar with the name, but Harry Benson is responsible for photographs of the most important iconoclast figures of the last century. Benson's photographs have become a prominent part of the visual lexicon of the 20th century. When The Beatles came to America in 1964, for instance, he brought us candid images of the iconic group. Benson also brought some of the darker moments in history to print, including mages of Robert Kennedy's lifeless body, which marked the end of an era. "Harry Benson: Shoot First" is the documentary portrait of the legendary photographer, directed by Justin Bare and Matthew Miele. The documentary had its premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival last year and has now found a formidable home at Magnolia. The company will be handling worldwide distribution rights to the film, which features interviews from politicos, actors, filmmakers and sports stars, from Donald Trump to Dan Rather,...
- 1/5/2016
- by J. Carlos Menjivar
- Indiewire
Magnolia Pictures has acquired worldwide rights to the documentary “Harry Benson: Shoot First,” the company announced Tuesday. The film, which had its world premiere at the 2015 Hamptons International Film Festival, chronicles the life of renowned photographer Harry Benson, who initially rose to fame alongside The Beatles, having been assigned to cover the band’s inaugural trip to the U.S. in 1964. Also Read: Beatles Songs Stream 50 Million Times in Just 48 Hours The doc features interviews with Sharon Stone, Alec Baldwin, Donald Trump, Piers Morgan, Dan Rather, James L. Brooks, Henry Kissinger, Ralph Lauren and Joe Namath. Magnolia is targeting a 2016 theatrical release.
- 1/5/2016
- by Linda Ge
- The Wrap
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